by Arthur A. Visintin

If you’re looking for the answers on who’ll win the Republican Primary or when housing prices will rebound or which stock to buy in 2012, the Dial 211 Riverside County folks might not have the answer. But for information on counseling, child care services, senior services, employment opportunities, health care needs and more than 3,000 other programs, they either have the answer or can put you in touch with those that do.

Founded in 2005, the Community Connect (211) mission is to connect people in need with those that can help. Community Connect has actually been around since 1966 working to create safe and healthy communities. They act as a clearing house between a large group of non-profit agencies that provide services and those who need those services but may not know they exist or where to get information on them. The 211 24-hour helpline came into being in 2005 as a way to increase that outreach.

Serving all areas of Riverside County, in the past year 211 Connect has helped more than 108,000 individuals and provided hundreds of non-profits with additional development opportunities. This included nearly 77,000 residents with critical needs in housing, food and medical services, 8,000 crisis/suicide prevention calls, 7,500 visits to senior care facilities and nearly 11,000 bus tickets to help people get to job interviews, work or even to the grocery store.

At a reception in Sacramento, the Regional Council of Rural Counties (RCRC) honored Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries (R-Lake Elsinore) as one of two recipients for its annual "Patti Mattingly Award" for 2011.  The Patti Mattingly Award is given to a policymaker who has demonstrated leadership on rural issues and an understanding of the unique challenges that rural communities face.

"RCRC appreciates Assemblyman Jeffries' commitment to and his tireless efforts for rural counties even though he does not represent an RCRC-member county.  He has made sure that rural counties have a seat at the table whenever possible," said RCRC Chair and Colusa County Supervisor Kim Vann. RCRC's Patti Mattingly Award was established in memory of former Supervisor Patti Mattingly of Siskiyou County who had tremendous courage, commitment and ability to promote constructive solutions surrounding rural issues. 

The recipient is selected by the RCRC Board of Directors to recognize a legislator who demonstrates these attributes, while championing the cause of rural counties. "His work in the area of firefighting, where rural counties continue to face public policy and budget challenges reflects his commitment to rural issues.  Equally as important, he is one of few legislators that have a deep understanding of firefighting and fire-related issues.  Given that this is one of RCRC's priority policy areas, it is only fitting that we recognize his leadership," said RCRC CEO Greg Norton.

c.2012, Amacom                                  $29.95                                    187 pages

In a normal weeks’ time, you get many applications from many job-seekers.

That’s no surprise in any economy, but what caught your eye this week was that the number has soared. Veterans are returning to the civilian workforce in waves, and they’re reaching out to you for employment.

Fortunately, you might have a place for someone with military experience but making room on the payroll isn’t all you’ll need to do. In the new book “Field Tested” by Emily King, you’ll learn how to keep the best employee you may ever have.

Every year, and particularly now, tens of thousands of military personnel leave their old jobs to join the ranks of civilian workers. You’d love to tap into a veteran’s discipline, that can-do attitude, and the training that comes from working for everybody’s favorite Uncle. But there are things you need to do before you post a Help Wanted ad. There are considerations on both sides of the desk, and preparation is key.

First, understand that most employees don’t leave a job, they leave a manager. Managing properly for retention, therefore, is what you ultimately want. Since the average veteran goes through three jobs before acclimating to civilian workplaces, it’s to your advantage to anticipate the challenges that will come with transition.

At issue is that the military is a very different kind of business than the one you have in the civilian world, and you can’t make assumptions. Your new hire may never have had to negotiate for salary or benefits. He or she may be unaccustomed to a more casual, less-regimented office with unique relationships between employees. Office hours are gentler. Even the uniforms are different.